By Elorm Yao Aryee
The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has proposed the reintroduction of broad-based tolling systems on major roads in the country to generate enough revenue for road infrastructure.
He said road construction has been a burden on government’s budget hence innovative strategies for funding such projects are required.
Dr Bawumia said this in Ho when he addressed the clergy and members of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs as part of his campaign tour of the Region.
He proposed a public-private partnership in the road sector where government will lease such projects to the business community which has the capacity to build, operate and transfer.
The New Patriotic Party Flagbearer said such strategies could be replicated in other sectors of the economy such as education to resolve the funding gaps that have been a burden on government.
“The problem in the area of roads is that government is making a fundamental mistake, by trying to put the entire road budget on the national budget; we would not have enough money if you did that. I believe that the private sector has to be brought into the road sector and other sectors of the economy. Government can rent or lease and after the private builds the infrastructure we can pay little by little. Let us go back the system of broad-based road tolling. We can put the tolls in one pot and pay the private sector out of it”, he said.
Dr Bawumia also made a proposal for the amendment of the Chieftaincy Act to restore authority and dignity to the Chieftaincy institution when he paid a courtesy call on paramount chiefs and Queen mothers at the Volta Regional House of Chiefs.
He pledged to review the 1992 Constitution which in his view has some provisions which are outmoded.
The President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbe Tepre Hodo urged Dr Bawumia to prioritize resolving the plethora of chieftaincy disputes in the country if he gets the nod to become the President.
He urged politicians to put Ghana first in their activities rather than their political interests.
Vice President Dr Bawumia who was accompanied by big wigs of the New Patriotic Party earlier met the Muslim community in the Volta Region.
He assured them of infrastructural development to enhance their living standards when he gets the nod to be President.
The NPP Flagbearer rounded up his tour of the Region with an engagement with the Party’s grassroot, dubbed “Youth Connect” at the Ho Technical University, where he shared his achievements and vision for the youth of the country.